Measles

Plan for Travel

Measles is still common in other countries! Two doses of MMR vaccine are recommended for all international travelers! Learn more at CDC.gov and call your doctor or find travel clinics that serve uninsured or underinsure community members on our Immunization Clinics list.

Measles Situation Update

5/31/2019

Alameda County

A case of measles was confirmed in a Berkeley resident the week of 5/13/19. The City of Berkeley Public Health Department issued a public notification and led the public health response while coordinating closely with the Alameda County Public Health Department.

No other significant public exposures to measles have been identified within Alameda County.

ACPHD continues to work with the health care community to be alert for new cases in the county and is prepared to quickly respond to any new exposures or cases.

California & U.S.:

The United States has the highest number of cases in 2019 since measles was eliminated in 2000

For more information, including guidance updates and California case counts, visit the CDPH measles website

Measles, also called rubeola, is a highly contagious illness caused by a virus. It starts with fever that gets worse over several days, cough, runny nose, and watery, red eyes. After a few days a rash develops and lasts up to a week. Then it gets better by itself. Some people get a more serious case of measles which can cause diarrhea, middle ear infection, pneumonia (lung infection) or encephalitis (brain infection).

Measles illness during pregnancy can cause early labor, miscarriage, and low birth weight infants. Measles in people with AIDS or weak immune systems can be very severe. In the United States, 2 out of 1000 people who get measles will die from it, usually from the complications of the pneumonia or encephalitis caused by the infection.

Measles is prevented through vaccination. Before there was a vaccine, it is estimated that there were over 3 million measles cases every year in the US, and 500 deaths due to measles. The vaccine that we use today, called MMR, for measles, mumps and rubella, is highly effective. Measles vaccination protects not just the person being vaccinated, but the community around them, including babies less than 12 months old who are too young to be vaccinated.